The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is the main body dealing with the setting of multilateral rules for trade between nations. Currently, the WTO has 140 members, of which more than three-quarters are developing countries.

WTO rules are the outcome of negotiations between WTO Member States, with decisions normally reached by consensus. Thus, support from developing countries for proposals coming from the developed countries, and vice versa, is important. Specifically, in the context of EU-LDC trade relations, developing countries need to know what is at stake for them in the negotiations and what the implications will be of proposals coming from the EU. The consequences of a failure to build support were clearly illustrated at the WTO meeting in Seattle in December 1999 with apparently large divisions in the positions of the participants being evident. These related both to the issues to be discussed in a new trade round (what should be covered and what not) and on issues that were unfinished in the Uruguay Round (agriculture, services and intellectual property rules).

This section provides information on:

• The WTO as an institution, advantages and disadvantages of the WTO and proposals for ways to improve the system.

• Current negotiations, positions of EU and LDC in the multilateral trade negotiations and the implications of their proposals.

• Specific WTO negotiation issues, more in-depth analysis of specific negotiation issues, like trade and investment, trade and competition policy and trade and agriculture.

This section is organised as follows:

• Research: academic papers, research literature, analysis and comment on the WTO, the WTO negotiations, and related issues.

• Policy: position papers, analysis and comment with a focus on the respective positions of the EU and LDC and issues of potential conflict and convergence.

• News: recent developments in research, policy and projects relating to the WTO and WTO negotiations.

• Regions: per region news relating to the WTO and WTO negotiations.

As a recently launched site, we still have some way to go towards providing a comprehensive information resource. You can help by submitting your own contributions (academic papers, position papers, analysis or comments etc.). To do this, go to Contact us.